It was a shame
by obscured-enigma
Summary: It was a shame he turned out this way... Urahara and Mayuri meet for the first time since the ex-Captain's banishment, and they're not exactly... happy to see eachother. One shot ficlet.


This is just a short ficlet, because I could make it longer but I'd never finish it. And yeah, I was just curious as to what it would be like if Kurotsuchi and Urahara ever met, because obviously it's very unlikely what with Urahara being unable to enter Soul Society, and Mayuri very unlikely to travel to the real world for any reason. But hey, I figured the Arrancar situation could become drastic enough to force Mayuri out of Seireitei, at least for a little while...

Of course characters aren't mine, they belong to Kubo Tite, so does Bleach, blah blah blah... Hopefully these two sound in character, it's ever so hard to write what Urahara's thinking cuz he's so damn mysterious!!

* * *

He was the first one to notice, as the enigmatic man slid into the room. Everyone else was too busy arguing amongst themselves to realize the ex-Captain was watching them with such a sly curiosity. Not Kurotsuchi Mayuri though, he was far too sharp, and caught the man's pale green eyes with his glassy amber orbs immediately. 

They held each other in a heavy stare, slighted with disgust. Mayuri felt a pang of that gut-wrenching queasiness he'd thought was long since forgotten, and it was a feeling distinctly far from welcome. It was the desperate need to be acknowledged by a man whom he hated, and loathed himself to adore. It was the realisation that the gaze that held him was nothing but a cold distance, and the reminder that the gap between them would never close. He was desperate to turn away, but there was a small spark of excitement to see his idol after all these years, and an iridescent hope that he might receive some praise for how he'd handled the man's shattered affairs after he was flung out of Soul Society.

After all, he _had_ handled them fantastically. He had transformed the research institute into a dwelling of magnificent invention, not forgetting to mention having created something even the great Captain could not; an artificial being. Mayuri had made countless successful inventions since his predecessor's departure, and transformed the face of the 12th Division into one that should be rightfully feared; all unlike that blithering imbecile.

What had he done since his banishment? Nothing apart from throwing Seireitei into turmoil with that stupid Hougyoku of his. And, it seemed, he appeared to have donned a tasteless beach-hat. Quite creepy.

And yet, here they were; several of the Gotei 13's finest, asking this _convict_ for help. Finally the disgust became too much and Mayuri looked away, as if some of the crude items on the shop's wooden shelves had suddenly caught his immediate interest.

Urahara Kisuke, however, kept his eyes locked on his former subordinate, checking over and over again that they didn't quite deceive him. First of all because he couldn't quite understand what that object perched on the man's head was - as quite surely it couldn't be a hat of any sorts - and second of all, because he couldn't quite believe Seireitei had allowed this creepy man to become captain of his old division.

Mayuri had changed his appearance quite drastically since Urahara had laid eyes on him. For one thing, he certainly didn't remember that peculiar mask, and it appeared rising to Captain Status had reinforced the arrogant temperament Urahara had worked so hard to cut down on. Apparently all those years of pretending to ignore his Vice-Captain had come to nought the minute he left. Everyone, no doubt, was too scared, or repulsed, by him to utter a syllable of discouragement.

It was a shame.

Still, no use fretting over the past, Urahara Kisuke decided, his face miraculously changing to one of his trademark grins, as he addressed the bickering Death Gods with significant amplitude. "Gentlemen, gentlemen, please!"

A silence fell, and everyone turned around.

Of course they did, Mayuri reflected with a bitter sentiment, the ex-Captain always did manage to hold everyone in the palm of his hand.

"Now, to what do I owe this honoured visitation?"

* * *

Hopefully that wasn't too rubbish for my first Bleach fanfic.. Concrit welcomed!! 


End file.
